French
/frentʃ/
adjective
Origin
Old English
frenc — pertaining to the Franks
Overview
Meaning Now
- Relating to France, its people, their language, or their culture.
- The official language of France and one of the world's major Romance languages.
Literal older meaning
Of or pertaining to the Franks
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
frensche
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term derives from the tribal name of the Franks, a Germanic people who conquered Gaul in the 5th century. Over time, 'Frank' became associated with the land of France itself.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*frankiskaz
“pertaining to the Franks”
- Old English
frenc
“of the Franks”
- Middle English
frensche
“French”
Palatalization of the velar k to sh sound.
- Modern English
French
“French”
Connections
Word parts
French
root
derived from the tribal name Frank
Related across languages
French
français
French
German
fränkisch
Franconian
Explore next
Related to French
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.